Finally, the consensus is that user experience (UX) is not a fad. All sizes and types of companies are catching on. Terminology, concepts, and thoughtful discussions are trickling down and no longer exclusive to experts, but now also employed by professionals in all roles and industries. Practitioners have to fight less frequently to prove the value of usability research and UX design.
Similarly, the conversation we’re having online is shifting. New content focuses less on “what” and “why”. We’re identifying less obvious gaps and brainstorming innovative ways of accomplishing usability goals. To that end, I’m not going to deliver a primer on what usability/UX is and why it’s important. Instead, I’ll focus on some of those gaps as they exist today.
Despite the improving trend of familiarity with UX, some industries have remained immune from its reach. Even the institutions that are responsible for teaching the foundations of human-centered design, accessibility, and so on, are failing to practice what they preach. Specifically: higher education.
A few weeks ago, I met with a professor from graduate school (an individual who has a greatly influenced my obsession with all things user-centric). We chatted about the program (technical communication), our industry, teaching, jobs, and the like. In the end, our conversation left me distinctly…
